As for 'architecture', we're interested in radicalism (such as the megastructural Cumbernauld and Irvine town centres, or prefabricated housing), but we also emphasise 'mainstream modernism' - overlooked by critics but no less 'new' for residents, and offering a new image of Scotland (8/) - ThreadSky

alistairfair.bsky.social • 29 days ago

As for 'architecture', we're interested in radicalism (such as the megastructural Cumbernauld and Irvine town centres, or prefabricated housing), but we also emphasise 'mainstream modernism' - overlooked by critics but no less 'new' for residents, and offering a new image of Scotland (8/)

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alistairfair.bsky.social•29 days ago

The Scottish Office believed that modern housing and workplaces in an attractive setting were essential to stop the population drain, and to attract international investment put off by stereotypes of grimness. For residents, new town houses offered welcome space, light, privacy, gardens (9/)

alistairfair.bsky.social•28 days ago

One theme of the book is the way that residents made communities, through workplaces and local institutions such as churches, but at the same time we explore the idea that the post-war period saw a 'turn' to the home and family, and we consider how family experiences and gender roles changed (10/)

alistairfair.bsky.social•28 days ago

We're also interested in the new industries in the new towns, as well as changing educational practices, both key elements of the drive to build a modern Scotland. We consider how new town industries, often international, relate to wider discussions of deindustrialisation and the economy (11/)

alistairfair.bsky.social•28 days ago

We consider ideas of aspiration: how those moving to the new towns wanted a better life for themselves and especially their children. We explore how the new towns became involved in the expansion of owner-occupation, before the 'right to buy' of the 1980s, and the impacts of this (12/)

alistairfair.bsky.social•28 days ago

We contest the idea of 'new town blues' but nonetheless explore how the 'new town dream' was not always positive in practice, sometimes causing financial and personal stresses. This advert was in the official East Kilbride handbook in the early 1970s (13/)

alistairfair.bsky.social•28 days ago

Scotland's new towns gained extensive coverage in the general or specialist media, and received international visitors. (14/)

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